MordSith & Lord Rahl
by shadowglove
Summary: Sequel to MordSith & Seeker. Chloe is worried since Richard is obviously hiding something from her...then again she's hiding something from him too. But that's the least of her worries when she gets kidnaped by Darken Rahl and loses her memory.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville/Legend of the Seeker. **

Sequel to Mord-Sith & Seeker.

Somewhat **spoiler** for Legend of the Seeker Season One in general, and Season One, Episode 21 "Fever" in particular...even if this is an AU.

Written for my Paranormal25 150 Prompt Table. Prompt of the day #99: Amnesia.

Chloe/Richard Cypher, Chloe/Darken Rahl

The parts in the ( - _italic - )_ are memories of things that can be found earlier in this oneshot or in its predecessor "Mord-Sith & Seeker"

* * *

The blades clashed loudly as the battled raged on. Chloe was unused to the sword she'd been given to use, and she knew that if it had been her Agiel she would have won the battle already. That in itself made her a little annoyed and she fought back with a growl in her throat. From childhood she'd been taught that she and her Agiel were one, and even if it hurt her to use the Agiel she'd gotten used to it, to need the pain to remind her that she was alive. Then again, that could be the Mord-Sith training in her, to appreciate a little pain.

The sword was flung out of her hands and she was pushed up against a tree, the blade of her opponent's sword pressed up against her neck, his body against hers.

He was hard.

Despite having lost, and still being annoyed with herself and the whole world for her apparent incompetence with a sword, Chloe grinned at her captor.

_Men_.

Green eyes never leaving his, she subtly moved and cupped him through the material of his pants.

Those dark eyes went darker, lips parting in an inaudible groan as she massaged him softly, carefully, enticingly.

His breathing went deeper, and his hold on the sword wavered, slackening.

In the blink of an eye she'd pushed the sword away from her and forced him to drop it before knocking him to the ground and straddling him, her hands to his neck.

He looked a little winded, before grinning up at her. "You _minx_."

Chloe giggled. "All's fair in love and war."

In seconds Richard Cypher rolled them over so that he straddled her, pinning her arms over her head as he grinned down into her face. "If you use those type of distractive tactics in _real_ battle you and I are going to have trouble."

Chloe rolled her hips.

He groaned before capturing her lips in his own, letting go of her arms to entangle his fingers in her hair as he took the kiss deeper, invading her and claiming her for his own, marking her with each swipe of his tongue as his territory.

The blonde whimpered needily into the kiss, trying to undo the buttons of his shirt.

It'd been a couple of months since they'd finally gotten to this level emotional and physical intimacy in their relationship, and Chloe had never known she could feel this way for someone else. She also had never known that she could be the type of woman she was by Richard Cypher's side. She could barely recognize herself anymore, even in how she dressed. Her long plat was gone, and so was her leather Mord-Sith suit. She wore a black leather corset over a shoulder-less green dress that as jagged at the ends where it reached the middle of her thighs, and she wore black leggings underneath along with her combat boots. She looked nothing like a Mord-Sith anymore. Her hair was now cut shoulder-length and worn free, and she wondered if Richard understood what that meant, if he knew that wives cut their hair that length and let it loose to show that their husbands had dominion over them. Richard wasn't from the Midlands, well, he hadn't grown up here, so she didn't think he understood, but she knew that the Wizard and Confessor did, and couldn't help but blush every time she remembered the expressions on their faces when they'd first seen her after she'd used the Sword of Truth to cut off her long locks.

Even now she'd catch Zedd and Kahlan looking at her, and then at each other, grinning brightly.

It was embarrassing.

"_Spirits_, Chloe..." Richard's fingers worked desperately on the strings of her corset.

Someone cleared his throat.

They went still and then turned their heads as one to see an amused Zed standing tall next to where the Sword of Truth had landed.

"Zedd!" Richard cleared his throat.

Chloe shoved Richard away from her and stumbled to her feet, blush climbing up her neck as she hurriedly re-tightened the strings of her corset.

Richard watched her redress quickly with a look of utter disappointment.

"That is one _interesting_ method of weapons training." Zedd couldn't keep the amused mocking out of his tone.

"I was trying to teach the Seeker to control his lust when a enemy tries to use it against him." Chloe bluffed, unable to look at the Wizard in the eyes. "As you can see, he needs _a lot_ of practice."

Richard grinned brightly at the thought of more 'practice'.

She glared at him.

Zedd laughed. "Come on you two, Kahlan's got some message from some of her friends from the resistance."

Richard sighed and followed after Zedd, grabbing his sword on his way.

Chloe sighed and leaned against a tree, closing her eyes, cheeks burning in embarrassment and arousal.

Yep.

She couldn't recognize the woman she was now _at all_.

* * *

Richard was acting weird.

Then again, the Seeker was _always_ a little odd to Chloe.

It was one of the things she liked about him.

But this, this was different. He was acting curiously, nervously, and he kept _talking_ to himself when he was a little distanced from the others, as if _rehearsing_ something. It was confusing. She'd asked him if he was ill or something, and he'd just given her this horribly acted 'nothing is wrong with me why would you even think that since its obviously nothing' skit and she'd decided that he'd come to her when he was ready to talk about whatever was bothering him. Except, he hadn't gone to her, he'd gone to _Zedd_. And it was obvious that this had _something_ to do with her because she'd been watching them discreetly over the camp fire, and the moment Richard had pulled Zedd aside and spoke to him in ridiculously low and secretive tones, Zedd had jerked in surprise and looked in Chloe's direction before turning to Richard with a serious expression on his face.

It was...frustrating...to know that Richard had felt the need to confess whatever it was to Zedd and not her.

Even if Zedd _was_ his grandfather.

When they'd gotten to the next big town the men had made excuses to go off alone, and Kahlan and Chloe had exchanged suspicious glances, had even tried to follow the two to figure out what they were up to, but Zedd must have used magic because they couldn't find them anywhere. The girls had then given up and just wandered around by themselves, enjoying their time and buying supplies that they would need.

Chloe loved Kahlan dearly, she was like the sister Chloe had always wanted, and had become Chloe's family.

Being with Richard, Zedd and Kahlan---it was as if she'd finally found a family, a place to belong, and she loved it.

It made her feel, scared, sometimes...scared that she might lose them.

Chloe didn't think she'd be able to live without those three in her life.

"Have you noticed how _paranoid_ Richard has been acting about his pack ever since that town?" Kahlan whispered to Chloe as they walked behind Zedd and Richard. "He never lets it out of his side anymore. I think he got something that he's hiding from us."

Chloe frowned at the thought.

Richard should know that he didn't have to hide anything from her.

She didn't hide anything from _him_.

It made her feel a little hurt.

Then again...Chloe looked away...she hadn't told Richard _everything_.

"You think?" She whispered back.

The Confessor nodded with a pout. "And Zedd knows whatever it is too. They're _both_ hiding something from us."

Chloe sighed. "I was beginning to think that too." She kicked at a pine cone. "What do you think it is?"

"I don't know." Kahlan admitted. "And it's _killing_ me!"

It was killing Chloe too.

She lowered her head and bit her bottom lip, worry marring her every feature.

* * *

"What are you hiding?" Chloe asked a couple of nights later, deciding that she'd had enough of the mental torture.

Richard jerked and quickly shoved something small into his pack before turning towards her, eyes wide, smile nervous. "Hiding something? I'm not hiding anything."

Her gaze went to the pack. "What's in there?"

"My...stuff." He chuckled nervously, holding the pack behind him. "Shouldn't you be on patrol?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You're hiding something from me, Seeker."

"No I'm not." He wasn't looking her in the face.

She looked away, unable to believe that he was lying to her, that he obviously didn't trust her enough to tell her what was going on. Whatever was in that pack obviously was important, he kept opening the pack and reaching inside, looking at whatever it was while still keeping it hidden. And that wasn't just all. When he looked at whatever it was, his expression was tender and longing.

What _was_ it?

Was it some token of affection from some other girl?

Like Anna?

Her eyes widened at the thought.

_Was_ it something from Anna?

Did he...did he _still_ have feelings for her and kept looking at something she'd given him before the barrier had gone up for good?

Or what...what if he'd found out about Chloe? About what had happened in her past? What if he finally knew, and was disgusted?

"Oh." She took in a deep breath, giving her back to him. "Forget it. It's not important anyway. It's just...annoying." She closed her eyes tightly, though her voice was unaffected. "Stop being so distracted, Seeker, you have a prophecy to fulfill, nothing else is more important."

She walked away, thanking all her years of training as a Mord-Sith for the careless mask she was able to put on to hide the way her heart hurt.

* * *

Lord Darken Rahl was using magic to infect and sicken the people who helped the Seeker. People were dying all around them, children too, and Jennsen had arrived, breathless, terrified, the two boxes of Orden with her. Apparently Lord Darken Rahl had found where she'd been hiding, and she'd come looking for Richard to help her. Zedd was trying to heal the people of the black fever, but it was taking a big toil on her, and Kahlan and Richard were busy trying to figure out what to do with Jennsen and the two boxes of Orden she hid. Chloe had never felt more useless than at that moment. She spent the time out of the village, trying to practice with her sword, and her mood only darkening and she realized that she probably wouldn't ever have much talent with it, not like she'd once had with her Agiel. Every day she'd go out a little further, and a little further, and Richard seemed to encourage her to be far away. Of course, it was most probably because the fever was deadly and it could be contracted with just one touch so he wanted her as far from danger as possible, but Chloe was already a little sensitive with the fact that he was harboring a secret from her, so his eagerness to see her go was painful. Especially when he'd told her to pack some food and camp out in the forest for a couple of days.

She was beginning to believe that he really _did_ know about her before he'd come into her life. Why else would he let Kahlan and Jennsen stay and yet insist that Chloe be at least a couple of days worth away from the village? He knew. He _knew_. And he was _disgusted_. And he wasn't even letting her explain herself or why---. _How_ could he just judge her like that? Why couldn't he just come up to her, face her face to face, and tell her that he knew and how he felt about it? She---it would break her heart but at least it would be better than this torture she was going through! It was worse than anything she'd ever experienced while under the Agiel.

"Stupid..._Seeker_!" She screamed, swinging her sword repeatedly into a helpless, completely innocent tree. "Stupid _STUPID_ Seeker!"

It was disturbing, how she'd gone from a feelingless bitch to an overly sensitive one.

"_STUPID STUPID __**STUPID**__!"_

Her sword got stuck in the tree and wouldn't budge, no matter how hard she pulled at it.

Giving a shriek of anger, Chloe collapsed to the ground moodily, before bringing her hands to her face and letting the tears finally fall.

* * *

A twig cracked.

Chloe jolted awake, looking around her in the darkness now that her fire had burned down to nothing.

She listened, waited.

Another twig cracked.

Crawling out of her sleeping sack, the blonde hid behind a tree and stared out into the darkness, eyes widening as she saw a group of D'Haran soldiers marching towards the village where Richard and the others were. They'd probably been trailing Jennsen, were probably the same group who'd tried killing her those days, and were following her tracks. If they continued this way they'd be at the village in two days. With all the sick...her friends wouldn't make it.

_Richard_!

Chloe's gaze went to the tree, where her sword was _still_ stuck.

Without even thinking, Chloe turned and began running in the opposite direction of the village, making sure that her footsteps were loud enough to be heard, cracking as made branches and twigs as she could.

The marching stopped.

"Halt! Who goes there?!"

She took in a deep breath. "_Jennsen! Run!_"

"It's one of the Seeker's people!" One of the D'Harans hissed and then they were giving a chase.

Chloe, running as fast as she could in the darkness, hurried as far from the village as humanly possible. She knew that the price on her head was great, especially since she was a traitor. She'd betrayed Darken Rahl and had joined sides with the Seeker, he would want to use her as an example to the people.

She gulped, but didn't doubt that she'd made the right decision, even as she came to a precipice, stopping in her tracks right before she could fall over.

She hadn't been lying when she'd told Richard that he had a prophecy to fulfill, and _nothing_ else was important.

Not even her life.

"It's the _traitor_."

Chloe turned in time for one of the soldiers to backhand her with his gauntlet, the blow sending her to the ground.

* * *

Waking up was _agony_.

Confused, in pain, and scared, she looked around her at the beautiful room she was in, and then realized that she was dressed in silk, lying upon a majestic bed.

"You're awake."

Turning towards that softly agonized voice, she whimpered in pain.

"Don't move." He was by her side in seconds, hair dark silk, eyes dark as well. He lowered her gently back to the pillow and sat down next to her, looking at her in utter worry. "My physician says that you cannot remember anything, Chloe."

Chloe?

Was that her name?

She vaguely remembered waking up before, and a kindly woman looking after her, but it's all very fuzzy.

"Is that my name?" She whispered, voice raspy.

He nodded. "Yes. You're name is Chloe." He reached for a glass of water by the bed and gently helped her drink it. "Do you really not remember anything?"

"I----can't." She knew the distress was obvious on her face, eyes filling with tears. "What happened? Where am I? Why can't I remember anything? Why am I in so much _pain_?"

"Shhh." He soothed, reaching over to tenderly brush some hair out of her face. "There's enough time for that. Right now you need to sleep. You've been through something quite traumatic, and it was only thanks to my men finding you on time that you survived."

She _was_ tired. "I'm scared."

"Don't be." He leaned over her and gave her a soft smile. "I'll never let him hurt you again."

That handsome face was the last thing she saw before she fell asleep again, exhausted.

* * *

"Why are you helping me?" She asked, curiously, as she sat with a tray of food on her lap, watching him chew on the apple he'd stolen from said tray when she'd told him she didn't feel comfortable eating alone.

Her savior licked at a trail of juice down his lip and swallowed before answering, looking at her with a smile. "Can't a man want to help a beautiful damsel in distress?"

Her eyes widened and she blushed, ducking her gaze to the food on her plate. "You lie to me. I look hideous. My face is deformed with these bruises."

It was true. Her face was black and blue, and her body was as well, from the horrifying beating she'd obviously received before waking up.

He surprised her by reaching forwards and cupping her chin, forcing her to look at him. "You've always been beautiful, Chloe, even as a child, and not even a million bruises and cuts can change that."

Her blush darkened and her eyes widened. "You knew me as a child?"

He smiled. "Yes. The first time I met you it was at an initiation, you were my most beautiful Mord-Sith."

"Mord-Sith?" She whispered, the term odd on her tongue.

He nodded. "You'd finished your training, you were seven. And you came to me. I was nineteen at the time, and I thought: 'She will be beautiful when she grows up'." He hesitated a second before brushing some hair out of her face once more. "And then I bestowed on you the power to use other people's magic against them, as I do with all of my Mord-Sith, and yet you have a more of me within you than any of the others."

She looked up at him, unable to tear her eyes from his, heart racing.

"Do you know why that is, Chloe?" His voice lowered, his eyes searching. "Do you remember why I did that? Do you remember the conversation we had?"

"No." She whispered, feeling entranced. "I can't..." She finally looked away, ducking her gaze. "I wish I did."

He caressed her chin with his thumb. "Don't force yourself, dearheart, the memories will come to you in time."

She looked back up at him, knowing she couldn't get any redder than she was now. "_Dearheart_?"

He smiled and leaned forwards, pressing a chaste kiss to her forehead before standing. "I must go. Your kidnapper and tormenter is still at large and I will not forgive him for touching you." And with that he left.

Chloe watched him until he left the room, and then she covered her face with her hands, feeling her own blush against the cool of her skin.

* * *

"My men found her this morning. Her mother and siblings were apparently killed by a group of dogs but she was the only one to survive." He held a tiny kitten in his hands as he stood by her bedside. "I saw her and thought of you, that you would like company while in bed-rest."

"She's so beautiful." Chloe's face lit up as she welcomed the kitten into her arms, rubbing her cheek against its soft fur. "_Thank_ you Lord Rahl." She reached for his hand and on impulse brought it to her lips, kissing it.

- _A young Chloe stood in her Mord-Sith uniform, bowing before young Lord Rahl, kissing his hand in submission and accepting him as her lord_. -

Chloe leaned forwards, gasping, eyes wide.

"Chloe?" He asked, bent over her, hands on her shoulders. "Are you alright?"

"I---I think---I think I remembered something." She whispered, looking up at him, eyes wide and smiling through her tears. "I _remembered_ you, Lord Rahl! I remembered kissing your hand, just like I did now, and swearing my allegiance and my life to you!"

He smiled down at her and used his thumb to brush away at a stray tear. "Don't cry, Chloe. This is good, you are remembering once more."

She nodded, giggling in delight. "You were very handsome, Lord Rahl."

"Were?" He asked, slightly teasingly as he sat down on the edge of her bed. "I think you hurt my feelings, Chloe."

She smiled brightly at him. "You know you still are."

He smiled back at her.

She blushed and looked down at the kitten purring in her arms. "I love her. She---she's perfect."

"She is." He agreed.

Chloe looked up at him and blushed darker, smiling. "I hope I remember more about you soon, Lord Rahl."

He was silent as he reached forwards, fingering a lock of her hair. "I would like that too, Chloe. For you to remember..." His gaze went to hers. "..._Everything_."

They stayed sitting like that in silence, the only sound in the room was the kitten's purrs.

* * *

"This is ridiculous." She laughed as he guided her through the room. "I can walk now by myself."

"Maybe I like the feel of you in my arms." He whispered in her ear.

Chloe shivered slightly at his breath against her ear and ducked her head, smiling to the kitten in her arms. She'd been in Darken Rahl's palace with him for weeks now, and he'd always been sweet, attentive, and charming with her. She didn't know why he was so wonderful with her, only a subject, but she sometimes wished she never regained her memory because she'd have to go back to being the Mord-Sith and not his companion. "How has the hunt for my captor been going?"

He tensed a little. "The Seeker is cunning. He's agile, and he's armed with the delusion that he's actually the _good guy _in this war. It makes him dangerous because he can justify all the deaths and killings as just another step to defeating the ultimate evil, or _me_. He has me as some sort of villain, some evil, heartless monster, and he's making my people start to see me in that way as well."

"No, they can't be fooled." She shook her head, turning to him and bringing her hand to cup his jaw before she could stop herself. "You are a good man, Lord Darken Rahl. You have taken care of me, and have made me feel so _safe_ here. I---I am _honored_ to be able to serve you."

He looked deep into her eyes. "Even though you were a Mord-Sith, they couldn't take the beauty from your soul."

She was confused as to what he was saying.

"I could still feel it, and it was so _pure_ despite the ugly work a Mord-Sith must do to protect me." He cupped her face as she was his, his thumb caressing her cheek. "Chloe, can you truly tell me that after all this time, that you don't remember still?"

"Remember...what?" She whispered, heart in her throat, beating wildly.

His lips claimed hers a little rougher than she would have imagined him kissing.

_- "My Lord." She whimpered as they rutted against each other on his bed._

_ "There's something...special...about you, Chloe." He grunted, smiling lecherously down at her. "Something my magic can't taint. You're not all mine and it infuriates me."_

_ "I am all yours, Lord Rahl." She denied, bucking up. "I am yours for the taking as you please."_

_ "You please me well, my Consort." He grabbed hold of her long hair, pulling her head back sharply before focusing all his attention on nibbling on her neck. "My future Queen." -_

Gasping, dropping the kitten, Chloe leaned forwards into Rahl, whose arms were around her.

Her heart raced rapidly, her mind trying to accept the images she'd just seen.

"Chloe?" Rahl asked. "What is it? What is wrong?"

"I---my _hair_." She whispered. "I always wondered why it was short and loose I---" she looked up at him, eyes wide. "Are we _married_?"

He suddenly grinned down at her. "Not as yet, but there were plans. There still _are_."

She was shaky. "I--but---."

He placed his arm around her waist and walked her to the window so she could get fresh air. "The Seeker was captured by one of my most trusted Mord-Sith, Denna, and she was entrusted with the job to train him, to make him become submissive. I---I didn't want to kill him, why waste life when he could join my side as a general and trusted friend?"

"You are too kind, my Lord." She whispered.

He leaned towards her and nibbled on her ear, tongue playing havoc with her senses. "You were by my side---you were _always_ by my side. I'd made you my personal Mord-Sith from the time you were sixteen, and I'd taken you as a lover soon after. But when I heard that the Seeker was captured, I sent you covertly to the keep he was being held at, to oversee his training. But I did not want Denna to know of who you were, so you would see her ethics as they truly were."

Chloe nodded, still trembling slightly, knees weak, as his voice spoke lowly into her ear, his hot breath against her skin was intoxicating.

- _Chloe pressed her Agiel to the Seeker's skin, watching as he screamed in agony. It unnerved her, a little, how his gaze never left hers throughout the whole session. -_

"I'm remembering, a little." She whispered. "I tortured him, he wouldn't break."

Rahl nodded. "Not only didn't he break, but his friends rescued him. Everyone was killed except you, whom he and his friends took captive."

_- "You're coming with us." -_

She brought her hand to her forehead as a sudden headache came upon her.

"They took away your Agiel, and the Wizard never used magic against you so you couldn't use it against him. You were defenseless and alone."

- _"He asked me to destroy that foul weapon and I was happy to oblige" the Wizard admitted. -_

"My Agiel." Chloe whispered, body shaking. "They _destroyed_ my Agiel. A Mord-Sith's Agiel is like a half of her _soul!_"

"That's enough." He whispered into her hair. "You'll remember more later. I don't want you to hurt yourself."

"But---!"

"_Please_."

Chloe bowed her head and nodded submissively, trusting him.

* * *

"The boxes...of Orden?" Chloe frowned, trying to remember if she knew what he was talking about.

"Yes." Rahl nodded as they lay in bed together, him drawing a pattern on her hip. "They were stolen from me by the Seeker while you were his captive, you would know where he hid them."

"Why would I?" Chloe asked, turning to him curiously. "I was a captive. I don't think I would have been entrusted with the knowledge of something like that."

"From what I can tell, you were taken everywhere with them, so you would have known where they would hide the boxes."

"No wonder they tried killing me." Chloe whispered, closing her eyes.

Rahl pressed soft kisses to her eyelids. "The Seeker underestimated you, my Consort."

"Yes, he did." She agreed, opening her eyes. "I will remember where they are, for _you_, My Lord."

"Yes, you will." He smirked before rolling himself onto her, pinning her to the bed, lips claiming.

* * *

Chloe came to a halt, eyes wide, arms around her kitten, who was meowing in fear. All around her there were the sound of fighting, of steel against steel, and while she wanted to fight she'd promised Rahl what she would do if in this situation. Only problem was that she was still somewhat in pain, and it'd made her slow. That was how she'd gotten trapped, her exit blocked off by her worst enemy.

"_Chloe_." Richard Cypher, Seeker, lowered his sword when he saw her, eyes wide, an expression she couldn't decipher on his face. "You're _alive_."

"No thanks to you and your men, Seeker." She sneered at him, holding her kitten protectively. "But I'm obviously stronger than you thought I was, because Lord Rahl found me and saved me."

"_What_?" He asked, voice odd. "Chloe, what are you talking about?" He took a step towards her. "What--."

"Don't come any closer!" She shrieked, feelings she couldn't understand filling her.

_- __Never did anything or anyone make her feel more scared than the Seeker. -_

Her whole body shook, and the kitten, sensing her terror, meowed even more pitifully.

The Seeker stopped in his tracks, looking as if she'd run him through with a blade. "You're terrified of me."

"What do you expect Seeker? Your men beat me to an inch of my life and left me for dead!" She screamed at him, beginning to feel it hard to breathe, knowing she was trembling visibly and hating herself for this nameless weakness, this agonizing feeling she couldn't name or understand--and yet she somehow knew it was a feeling only _he_ could bring out in her. "If Lord Rahl hadn't been searching for me after your kidnapped me, if he hadn't found me, I'd be _dead_!"

"No, Chloe, I don't know what he's done to you--but they're all lies!" He put away his sword and came towards her.

"P-please..." Chloe stammered, backing up, remembering the agony she'd been in for weeks after waking up. "P-please don't..."

_- Chloe turned in time for one of the men to backhand her with his gauntlet, the blow sending her to the ground. -_

Her whole body was trembling uncontrollably in fear as the terror she'd felt then mixed with the fear now as the Seeker drew closer, and she closed her eyes tightly, hot tears making their way down her cheek.

And then...he embraced her...holding her tightly yet protectively and tenderly, burying his face in her hair.

"_Chloe_." He whispered into her hair, voice breaking. "_Please don't be scared of me. You're breaking my heart._"

Her eyes flew open in shock.

What---?

"I've been so terrified since you disappeared, and there were signs of a struggle...and _blood_." He tightened his hold on her, voice wavering. "Chloe, I thought you were _killed_. I---it was only because one of the villagers saw the D'Haran soldiers carrying an unconscious girl that I knew you were alive and I had enough strength to live on without you."

What was he saying?

Why was he saying it?

What did he possibly think that he could achieve by telling her this?

"Chloe..." He whispered. "I _love_ you."

_- __His eyes widened when he saw her, his goblet slipping through his fingers, clashing to the ground, unnoticed. -_

The Seeker took in a deep breath of her scent, as if desperate for it as he would be desperate for air. "And _you_ love me _too_."

_- "You nearly died, because of me." She ignored him, head bowed, tears falling. "You can't endanger the cause because of __**me**__. You have a prophecy---you are the Seeker. You will defeat Darken Rahl and save the Midlands. You can't die over a Mord----."_

_ His hand let go of hers, and instead curled itself around her chin, raising her gaze so that it met his. "Say it again."_

_ She looked up at him, confused, not understanding why he wanted to hear her say that or why her heart was racing this way. "You have a pro---."_

_ "No." He shook his head. "My name. Say my name." -_

Chloe pushed away, terrified and horrified by what she'd seen. "No...no that _can't_ be right." She shook her head, unable to assimilate that memory with the others she'd been remembering. "You--you _kidnapped_ me after killing all of my comrades. You--."

"I kidnapped you...because you _saved me_ while I was under Denna's rule. I kidnapped you to _free_ you." He whispered. "_You_ were the reason why I didn't break while in the Mord-Sith keep, Chloe, I didn't break because _you_ wouldn't let me."

_- __She lifted the flask to his lips. "Here, drink this. It has healing faculties." She helped raise him a little as he greedily guzzled the liquid so he wouldn't choke, "I can't heal you completely or they will grow suspicious, but this should keep you strong enough to resist tomorrow's session. You mustn't break, Seeker, you __**mustn't**__." -_

"I don't---I don't understand." She whispered, hot tears falling down her cheeks, but she stopped struggling against him. "I---I _tortured_ you."

"You gave me an escape."

_- __The only thing...the only thing that made her able to see this through was the fact that she could sense that he'd sheltered his mind in a happy fantasy. He knew that she'd allow him this, and instead of the sad or painful ones she'd told him to use while under the Agiel of another Mord-Sith, he trusted her enough to let him have his elusive, happy fantasy or memory. -_

"I'm his Consort." She whispered, unable to keep the words back. "I've been his since I was sixteen. I---I _can't_ love you."

He was stiff, yet refusing to let go. "You _do_."

"Richard!" A male voice announced. "Darken Rahl has escaped the palace and left his men!"

Chloe looked at the large man, the wizard.

He paused. "_Chloe_?"

She pulled back, scared.

"Chloe!" A pretty brunette hurried towards them, smiling brightly. "You're alright! Thank the spirits!"

Chloe looked at them all, terrified.

Lord Rahl had abandoned her?

Left her to the Seeker and his crew of brigands?

"I see." The wizard sighed. "There's an enchantment on her mind."

She looked at the wizard, confused.

"Can you fix it?" The Seeker asked the wizard.

"Yes." The Wizard announced after a moment's thought. "But not here. Let us go, our men have subdued this palace, and Darken Rahl's men here are defeated."

Chloe's stomach rolled in fear. "I'm not going _anywhere_ with you." She whispered, shaking her head. "I'm waiting here for Lord Darken Rahl. He---I was supposed to meet him at---he'll come back for me!"

"Chloe." The Seeker tried.

"_No_!" Chloe shook her head. "I'm staying here! He'll come for me!" She held her kitten to her heart. "Kill me or Confess me! But I'm not moving from here of my own free will!"

_- "Confess or kill me." Chloe hissed. "As long as I'm alive I am bound to serve Darken Rahl, and he will not be as lenient as you would be in the death you'd give me." - _

The memory shot through Chloe like an earthquake, and she hardly reacted as the Seeker tore her kitten from her hands and passed it to the Confessor. But she _did_ react when he grabbed hold of her and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Seeker! Stop! Put me down!"

Her body hurt her too much to truly fight him off, and she was so emotionally confused and drained...and Darken Rahl had _left_ her.

Chloe stopped fighting, closing her eyes, as Richard Cipher kidnapped her.

Again.

* * *

She sat by the water, stroking the kitten's hair, looking at her reflection in the water.

And then her reflection wasn't the only one.

The blonde lowered her gaze. "I can't believe I'd forgotten _everything_ but what was convenient for him. I was going to remember where the boxes of Orden were and I would have told him."

"You didn't know." Richard announced softly as he lowered himself to sit down next to her. "Lord Rahl has power to weave over his people, to make their bond to him stronger, and he used magic _and_ psychology on you, made you dependent on him."

"I was so pathetic." She scoffed. "Even before meeting you I wasn't dependent on him like that. I---I never loved him. He was my king, and if he wanted my body it was my duty to give it to him and make sure he got his pleasure from it. He slept with Mord-Sith, his personal guard, but I was his favored since I was a child. It was common knowledge that he planned on making me his Queen."

"You sound like you had it made." Richard declared carefully. "What...what made you defy that and save me?"

"Their screams." She whispered. "My parents. There---there wasn't a night that I didn't relive what happened to them---what _I_ did. I. _How_ many other girls were going to have to go through that to become monsters? How many parents and children was he going to kill in his deluded search for _peace_? I didn't want him _dead_, but I wanted him _stopped_. He's destroying the Midlands, destroying our people, and I knew that you were our only hope...the only hope for all those little girls who would get torn from their families and lives and made into someone like _me_."

"I like you."

She closed her eyes. "This isn't the time for joking, Richard."

"I'm not joking."

"I _slept_ with him again!" Chloe snapped, turning to look at him. "I---_dirtied_ myself! Before _and_ after I met you!"

"You were doing what you had to do to survive, Chloe." Richard told her softly, not a trace of condemnation in his eyes. "And the second time, you didn't remember me---or, well, you thought I was some evil scum who'd left you half dead."

"I should have been able to see through the lies, shouldn't have allowed myself to be broken like that!"

"I would have broken under Denna if it hadn't been for you." He reminded her, hesitating a second before reaching forwards and placing his hand over the one she had resting on her kitten, threading his fingers through hers. "I wasn't there when you needed me, and I'll never forgive myself for that, but this hasn't changed my feelings for you in the least bit. If anything, I love you more, and I know that I wouldn't be able to survive without you. I--I wouldn't be the _Seeker_ without you."

She scoffed.

"Don't." He warned, tightening his hand on hers. "Chloe. I gave up after---after your kidnapping. I thought you were dead. I didn't have a _reason_ to fight anymore. I even threw the Sword of Truth away!"

Chloe's eyes widened.

"And then I heard about the D'Harans taking you _alive_...and..." Richard lowered his gaze. "Ever since I first met you, _you_ have been the only thing keeping me together, keeping me from breaking."

"_Richard_." She whispered, touched, eyes filling with tears.

"I was going to give you to this before you were kidnapped." He reached into his pocket and then pulled out a small container, placing it in their joined hands. "I was scared that I would never be able to."

Chloe looked down at the container before letting go of his hand so that she could open it.

A ring blinked at her in the moonlight.

Chloe brought a hand to her lips. "_Richard_?" She turned to look at him, eyes widening when she realized he was on his knees.

"Chloe, will you be my wife?" He asked, the wind blowing his brown locks in his face.

"Haven't you been listening to anything I just told you?" She wiped at her tears desperately. "The Seeker doesn't need a wife like me! I---!"

He leaned forwards and grabbed her shoulders, kissing her desperately, needfully, lovingly. "I _hate_ him for touching you, Chloe, I _burn_ with fury at the thought of him having you, but I _love_ you. I _need_ you. And I will _never_ stop. Even if you don't say yes now, I will _hound_ you until you do."

She watched him, silently, trying to understand what she could have ever done to deserve the sort of devotion she saw in his eyes.

"I _love_ you, Chloe, and if I have to kidnap you a _third_ time and drag you down the aisle kicking and screaming, I _will_." He smiled lovingly at her. "So just say yes."

The kitten, obviously tired with all the drama, gave a loud, complaining meow.

Chloe and Richard looked down at the annoyed and sleepy-looking kitten before laughing.

"See?" Richard looked back up at Chloe. "Even the cat _he_ gave you is telling you to stop being so bullheaded already and tell me yes!"

The blonde smiled at him, still not believing she deserved this, and yet too selfish to try and deny herself the happiness and love she knew she would have by his side

Leaning forwards, Chloe pressed a soft, adoring kiss against his lips. "Yes."

* * *

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